CHINIOT - The Additional District and Sessions Court sentenced six accused to death in a seven years old gang rape case here.
The verdict announced by Judge Ziaul Qamar, sentenced seven of the 10 men arrested in the case by Saddr Police. Anwar, Akbar, Muhammad Ali, Sajid, Tanveer and Liaqat were handed death sentences and Nadeem, 15-year-old at the time, life imprisonment.
Three others were given benefit of the doubt and acquitted. Their names are Sarwar, Mumtaz and Nawaz had not been mentioned in the FIR registered by Fozia Bibi’s father Riaz at the Saddr Police Station.
Witnesses who testified said relatives of the men had assaulted and injured others and scared them out of testifying against the offenders.
According to the prosecution, the suspects had kidnapped Fozia Bibi and sexually assaulted her to avenge the alleged kidnapping of Anwar’s daughter by one of Riaz’s friend, Mumtaz.
It said Anwar, a resident of Chak 14, had suspected Riaz of abetting Mumtaz in kidnapping the former’s daughter, Shabana.
It said some 10 men had broken into the house and held the family. They allegedly shot and injured Riaz and his brother.
Fozia Bibi was recovered in a police raid several days later. Anwar and some of his accomplices were also arrested in the raid.
A medical examination carried out at the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospital had confirmed sexual assault.
The court awarded death penalty to accused Anwar, Akbar, Tanveer, Sajad, Muhammad Ali and Liaquat under section 10 (4 ) Hadood Ordience and 2 accused Ghulam Ali and Nadeem were awarded life impressments under section 10 (Hadood Ordience ).
The accused Sarwar, Mumtaz and Nawaz were acquitted by court while extending them the benefit of doubt.